Cape Morgan Conference Centre, Kei Mouth

The new ECPTA (Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency) conference facility recently completed in Kei Mouth at the Cape Morgan Nature Reserve point boasts a well designed spacious conference hall and traditional African outdoor entertainment areas with a modern take. This project looks to boost the already successful tourism industry in the Eastern Cape. Having this facility is a wonderful asset for the Eastern Cape Government and the Eastern Cape at large.

We were fortunate enough to have two of our architectural systems specified in this project. The Winstep® Passive Sun Control Facade System which serves as an exterior access to the garden roof. Further, our Winslot® Passive Sun Control Facade System used in the 80-person conference room, provides strong horizontal architectural lines in addition to the natural "bounced" light and ventilation. (See images above)

Question 1:What was the design brief by the client? And intended use of the building?

The brief by ECPTA was to design an 80-person conference room within the Cape Morgan Nature Reserve. The completed Conference Centre forms part of a larger scale development envisaged for the reserve which includes future phases for guest suites, hotel/restaurant, wellness centre and an outdoor education centre.

Question 2:The building has an emphasis on sustainability can you elaborate on the “green” technologies that were used?

The building has a 300m² ”living” roof which has been planted with endemic flora species, such as those found in the reserve. The roof garden insulates the conference room, keeping it cool and comfortable while reducing the visual impact of the building in this natural environment. Rainwater harvesting was prioritised with rainwater being collected in 10kl tanks in the courtyard and pumped to supply water for flushing of toilets. Hot water is generated by solar heating. Local unemployed youths were also trained and employed on the project to produce colourful murals in mosaic: an investment in people is the most sustainable “technology.”

Question 3:The Wintec® Winslot® Passive Sun Control Facade System is used in the Auditorium space, please tell us about your decisions regarding overall aesthetics, light/ventilation and solar impact on the Northern facade.

To maximise natural light and ventilation while the building sits slightly below ground, and taking into account the load-bearing structure required to carry the roof garden slab, we needed a wall of glazing to flood the venue with light. The Wintec® Winslot® blades satisfied this requirement perfectly because we could achieve long spans without vertical columns. The projecting blades also shaded the glazing appropriately minimising the heat gain on this North-East side. There is no air-conditioning and yet the ambient temperature in the auditorium remains cool and comfortable.